SUPERNATURAL TRANSPORTATION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

People in the Bible are constantly going from place to place, generally by the usual means of transport, although often they are sometimes quite obviously led by God in their journeying, with the prime example being the wanderings of the Israelites in the wilderness after they leave Egypt. But in addition, there are times when supernatural means are also used to get them there. The following are some of those times.

One could, of course, cite the number of times it is said that someone is taken up on eagle's wings (e.g. Isaiah 40:31; Exodus 19:4; Proverbs 23:5; Lamentations 3:33; Deuteronomy 32:11-12; Isaiah 63:9; Revelation 12:14). Or there is the similar phraseology of “the wings of a dove” in passages such as Psalm 55:4-8; 68:13. But these are obviously figurative ways of expressing God's superintending of human affairs, especially involving His people.

“The imagery of wings in the Bible is primarily figurative; in fact, references to the literal wings of birds are striking for their scarcity...The ability of birds to soar above earthly danger makes them an apt symbol of escape.” (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery)

But there are other examples in the Bible which are not so readily relegated to mere figures of speech. However, there is a problem even with these in that there is often ambiguity as to whether the movement from one place to another occurred in earthly reality or expresses a movement taking place within the spiritual realm in the form of visions given to people.

Genesis 5:24-26 – Genesis 5:24-26 is quoted by the author of Hebrews in 11:5-6. Ellingworth comments as follows on this account: “The absence of any indication of the point of departure or arrival of Enoch's 'removal,' together with the use of the noun metathesis later in the verse, implies removal by God (as stated in Gn. 5:24) from earth to heaven. As usual, and in contrast with [the apocryphal book] I Enoch, the author is not interested in the details of the 'removal' but in its significance as indirect evidence for Enoch's faith.”

And Tiedtke says, “Enoch, because of his life pleasing to “God, was taken directly into God's presence without first going to Sheol. The manner in which this happened is not mentioned.”

However this removal was accomplished, we can certainly begin our list of supernatural movements with this event.

Numbers 22:28 – Then there is the case of the prophet Balaam, which forms the subject of several chapters in the book of Numbers. In interpreting this story, much depends on whether one takes it as an historical account, a fable, or a parody. Assuming that the first option is the safest to take, it at first appears that Balaam in his journey is taking one of the most mundane means of transportation – riding on a donkey. But we soon see that even this jackass is much more attune to spiritual realities than the jackass riding on him. And when this animal speaks up to protest Balaam's treatment of him, we know that there is something quite special about this form of transportation.

Stubbs comments on the underlying meaning of this episode: “Balak's unsuccessful attempt to control Balaam, and Balaam's unsuccessful attempt to control his donkey, parody their lack of control over forces that are larger than they realize...the three times that Balaam's intentions are hindered by the angel correspond to the three times that Balak's intentions are hindered by Balaam's blessings.”

Ashley draws another message from the account in that “the angel was not there to prevent him from going but rather to make sure he understood that without Yahweh's inspiration he could not hope to see (i.e. perceive) anything. With Yahweh's inspiration even a donkey is more perceptive than a professional seer.”

I Kings 18:45-46 demonstrates that even the most humble method of transportation – by foot – can be invested with the supernatural. After the battle of the gods at Mt. Carmel, Elijah ran ahead of Ahab's chariot for the 17 miles to Jezreel. Cogan says, “Divine possession invigorated Elijah and gave him the strength to run all the way to Jezreel...Elijah took up the role of one of Ahab's outrunners (see...1:5), showing the respect due him as king after the victory over Baal and his worshipers...”

LaSor says that “it is clear that Elijah was able to do this because the hand of the Lord was on him, in other words, he was granted supernatural power and stamina.”

II Kings 2:11 – At the end of Elijah's earthly career, a chariot of fire appears in the sky. LaSor points out a detail that I had missed every time I had read this story. He notes “that it is not stated that Elijah was taken up in the chariot of fire. The chariot of fire separated Elijah and Elisha, and 'Elijah went up by a whirlwind.' Not everyone was able to see the fiery chariot (cf. 6:17). Joash saw it on the occasion of Elisha's death (13:14).” The basis of the old spiritual “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” alludes to Elijah's ascension into heaven.

Mead adds, “The prophet's sudden entrance on and exit from the scene of Israelite history form a frame around the intervening stories (1 Kings 17:1; 2 Kings 2:11).”

Interestingly, back in I Kings 18:12 Ahab's servant Obadiah (not to be confused with the prophet) is sent to find Elijah, but when he does he is afraid to tell Ahab because he fears “the spirit of the LORD” will snatch Elijah away and he will get into trouble with the king. Elijah assures him that he will not go away.

Ezekiel 1 – There are two types of transportation in this book that bear discussion. The first (seen in this chapter and in Chapter 10) involves what is apparently God's own mode of moving from place to place, what is usually called His throne-chariot. As Block points out, “It is difficult to visualize what Ezekiel saw...Whatever the case, the prophet seems to envision some sort of four-wheeled chariot. The continuing interest in the number four speaks of their absolute ability to move everywhere, in all directions, without resistance. Freely and effortlessly the wheels keep pace with the four creatures...the wheels seem to have their own source of vitality...'for the spirit of life is in the wheels' in vv. 20-21...It was this animating spirit that also determined the direction and freedom of movement of the heavenly vehicle.”

Greenberg adds, “Changing of direction was therefore effortless; all directions were 'straight ahead'...An aspect of omnipotence is symbolized here, and it must not be pressed to mean that the creatures could move only at right angles, not diagonally.”

And as to the emphasis on the number four in this vision, Greenberg notes, “It symbolizes the divine capacity to control the whole world – to see all, to be everywhere effortlessly.” Thus, we could say that it stands for, respectively, God's omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. And these characteristics are even emphasized in the properties of the four living creatures which are associated with this chariot.

Then throughout the rest of the book we have those occasions in which Ezekiel is lifted up and taken to various locations to be shown visions. These occur in 3:12-14; 11:24; 37:1; 40:1-2; and 41:1.

Greenberg's comments on Ezekiel 1:3 suffice to discuss these occasions: “God's hand is a manifestation of his power (Exod 9:3; Deut 2:15; I Sam 5:9; Isa 41:20). When it lights upon a prophet he may be charged with uncanny strength (I Kings 18:46, Elijah), or with that supreme tension outwardly manifest as a trance brought on by consciousness of being addressed by God (II Kings 2:15, Elisha)...Ezekiel uses the phrase in the latter sense, but in connection with some sensory or physical effect other than mere audition: here the vision of ch. 1 and the extraordinary sensory experience of chs. 2-3. Elsewhere the hand controls his movement (3:22), detaches him from his surroundings and transports him in spirit to faraway places...”

Ezekiel 8:3 – But this is one of those occasions which demands a little extra discussion due to the mode of transportation and the great distance traveled by the prophet. Blenkinsopp labels this as “soul travel,” i.e. “the sensation of the conscious self leaving the body behind and being transported to another place.”

Block says, “In this experience Ezekiel is unique among Israel's classical prophets. The nearest analogues are provided by Elijah, who was carried about by the Spirit (1 K. 18:12; 2 K. 2:1-12,16-18), and Elisha, who possessed remarkable extrasensory powers (2 K. 5:26; 6:17,32-33). However, neither the physical transportation of the former nor the psychic activity of the latter is of the same order as Ezekiel's experience...If the ruah [spirit, wind] actually transports Ezekiel, then the word could be translated 'wind,' as in 3:14. However, since the ruah seems to be causing him merely to levitate between heaven and earth, it should be interpreted as the divine Spirit. Whether the prophet's visitors actually witnessed the levitation one may only speculate. By means of supernatural visions he is transported across the Arabian desert to Jerusalem, where he is deposited within the temple compound.”

Greenberg adds: “Note that the fiery figure reaches out and seizes Ezekiel, but it is the wind that transports him to Jerusalem. It is not said that the human figure accompanied him; in fact nothing is said of the location of the figure during the journey.”

Jonah – Much like the story of Balaam, the adventures of this wayward prophet have been understood as an historical account, a parable, or a parody. And there is much to be said for each of these approaches, but certainly one should not eliminate the literal understanding strictly on the argument that a person is incapable of living inside a whale. Number one – it never says “whale” in the account, and secondly, obviously if God created the whole universe, He certainly can create a fish capable of sustaining a person for a limited amount of time. And there is always the possibility, mentioned by some commentators, that Jonah actually died when in the fish and was resurrected when he was vomited out of it.

In any case, as Allen says, “The fish stands for the amazing grace of Yahweh, which came down to where he was and lifted him to new life.”

Zechariah 5:5-11 – In this seventh vision of the prophet we see a woman in a basket being carried away by two flying women. “Judah becomes purified of and Babylon becomes polluted by a personified figure, 'Wickedness.'” (Mobley)

Zechariah's horses – In Zech. 1:7-11 an angel with four horses reports back to God after patrolling the earth. Then in Zechariah 6:1-8 we are told of four chariots drawn by horses who also go out to patrol the earth. However, “here they go out, not to gather information but, apparently, to initiate God's judgment upon the earth.” (Mobley)

As Boda says, “While the chariot was used for traveling, hunting, parading and warfare, it was the latter that was most common...the horses in 1:8-17 were engaged in a reconnaissance mission, while those in 6:1-8 are engaged in a retributive military campaign.”

This series of two episodes involving heavenly horses for transportation is actually continued in a third passage of the Bible, as you will see from the comments in a companion post.

Bel and the Dragon 1:34-36 – I will also mention in passing this apocryphal addition to the Book of Daniel. In it, the prophet Habakkuk is making a meal in Judaea when an angel of the LORD tells him to take the food to Daniel who is in the lions' den. The angel then picks up the prophet by the hair on his head and “swept him to Babylon with the blast of his breath and put him down above the pit. Then the angel returns Habakkuk home in the same manner. Habakkuk thus becomes the progenitor of the speedy pizza delivery man.

Even one recent Roman Catholic translation, The Jerusalem Bible, notes, “The means of Habakkuk's transportation may have been suggested by Ezekiel 8:3. Greenberg also feels that it is “probably inspired by” this biblical passage.